Garden Resolutions 2010

As I gaze out at the slushy grey/white snow, I am thinking about some resolutions for my Spring Garden. Here they are:

• Fertilize on a regular basis
• Plant organic seeds
• Extend the vegetable garden – my small patch last year was taken over by zucchini!
• Try growing garlic – something I’ve been meaning to do for the past few years.

How about you - do you have any garden resolutions you’d like to share? Please feel free to post them in the comments section.

Winter Garden & Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

The garden is covered with snow and there's not much to do outside. Temperature today is -11 ºC (12.2 ºF). Burr! This is the time of year, however, when I think about what I can do differently and better in the garden for the coming Spring. This is when I start looking at seed catalogues, and looking for ideas in books and magazines. Over the next few weeks I'll let you know of any good garden related books or ideas that I find. If you have books or ideas to share, please do!

Flowering Vine: The Mandevilla

This Spring, as I wandered around my local garden nursery, this beautiful Mandevilla Vine caught my eye.

I simply had to have it. I love the sound of the name, “Mandevilla”, as it rolls off my tongue. The name makes me want to do the Samba! Native to the Central and South American tropics, it’s also known as “Brazillian Jasmine”. Here, in the Great White North, the Mandevilla Vine is grown as an annual. If you were to plant the Mandevilla, you would want to plant it in rich garden soil. I decided to leave mine in its original pot and give it a home on our deck.

Throughout the summer, not once did this plant loose its gorgeous, crimson red, trumpet-like flowers.

I would love to keep this vine year-round. I’ve read that I can bring the Vine indoors during the winter. However, I am concerned about pesky insects. Apparently, to bring it indoors, I would need to:

• Cut it back to about 6”
• Spay it with insecticidal soap
• Soak the pot in water for a few hours to get rid of pests hiding in the soil
• Leave it in a cool place to go dormant and water occasionally throughout the winter
  

I think, however, that I’ll try taking some 4” – 5” cuttings, let them root, and then pot the cuttings.

Mandevilla Vine Quick Facts

• Available in pink, white and red
• They can grow to 10’ in height during one season, and 30’ in their native habitat
• They will tolerate slight drought
• Outdoors, place them in sun/partial shade
• Indoors they prefer filtered or indirect light

Sources:

Annuals for Every Garden, Scott D. Appell
Flowering Vines: Beautiful Climbers, Karan Davis Cutler